Liu Chan

Liu Chan (劉禪 Pinyin Líu Chán, Wade-Giles Liu Ch'an) (207 – 271) was the second and the last emperor of the Kingdom of Shu during the period of Three Kingdoms in China, who reigned between 223 and 263. He was the son of Liu Bei and was also known as A Dou when he was a child.

Liu Chan did not really care for governance and left the kingdom in the hands of his ministers (mainly a eunuch named Huang Hao). After the Kingdom of Wei had conquered the Kingdom of Shu, he was captured and brought to Luoyang (the capital of Wei), and was given the titular position Duke of Comfort (安樂公 Anle Gong). Liu Chan was rescued by Zhao Yun at the Battle of Changban as an infant.

One day, the emperor of Wei invited Liu Chan and his followers to a party. During the party, entertainers performed a traditional Shu dance. All of the former Shu officials present were saddened, but Liu commented:

I enjoy the life here that I do not think about Shu anymore! (樂不思蜀)

This phrase becomes an idiom in Chinese, meaning "too joyful to think about home", and it is actually better known than Liu Chan himself.

Some traditional historicans accused Liu Chan for his lack of sincerity in ruling his kingdom, but others praised him as a wise man who saved himself from being (unnecessarily) killed after Shu was conquered. These supporters also argued that Liu had already tried his best, but the fact was that the Shu was just too weak when compared to the Wei.